American criminal procedures Essay

The American Bill of Rights guarantees freedom of speech, religion, and assembly in addition to other significant protections against the suppression of government and official agencies, â€Å"provides a noble action and shield of human dignity. †(Brennan Jr. 1989. p 425) The Bill of rights epitomizes the constant will of humanity for individual rights and protections. Essentially, Bill of Rights as incarnated in the first ten Amendments of American constitution is an acknowledgment of the individual dignity and rights and it also manifest an embargo on the government itself to exploit and manipulate these rights. â€Å"The Bill of Rights, in other words, deals with the protection of the individual against his Government. The protection of an individual against another individual or group of individuals is not implicit in the Bill of Rights, but falls more into the realm of police powers of the Government. † (Wise, James Waterman, 1941. p. 35) The philosophy and ideas of English Philosopher John Locke has been inducted in the Bill of Rights. Locke presented the philosophy of natural rights i. e. that all the individuals are endowed with inherent rights. Locke was of the view that civil society of which the government is an organ, is established to safeguard the individual rights. This idea of natural right greatly influenced the concepts Madison who is considered the creator of American Bill of Rights. The guarantees of fundamental individual rights, provided by the bill of rights are general in its definition and application and applicability rests in the discretion of the â€Å"adjudicative bodies. † This quality of the Bill of Rights capacitate it with the ability to be applicable at the broader level because it â€Å"permit judges to adapt canons of right to situation not envisaged by those who framed (it) there by facilitating (its) evolution and preserving (its) vitality†(Brennan Jr. 1989). Another distinction of the Bill of rights is that it enables the Supreme Court to reform American criminal procedures and align it with the provision and protections in the Bill of Rights. For example in Miranda vs. Arizona case, the Court made it clear that police must inform the person under interrogation his rights. Its ruling included that police must inform the detainee his right to silence and his right to a lawyer. But the attitude of Supreme Court is ambivalent in the above mentioned case and is encircled with controversies. Sixth Amendments provides the right of counsel to the detainees or individual under interrogation or under prosecution in a federal court. The denial of such counseling negates the provision of Bill of rights. Certain ruling by the federal courts exemplify that courts are still in a state of confusion over this issue. â€Å"In dealing with state cases the Supreme Court has distinguished between the situation where an accused is denied the right to consult a lawyer whom he had selected, and that where, being unable to procure any lawyer, the court refused to appoint one. In the former case a conviction cannot standing the latter it depends on the circumstances†. (Fraenkel, O. K. 1963, p. 117). The House vs. Mayo and Betts vs. Bardy cases are clear manifestation of this duality on the part of judiciary. ( House v. Mayo, 324 U. S. 786 (1945) 117, 118 & Betts v. Brady, 316 U. S. 455 (1942) 118) In the absence of an enforcement mechanism or power of vindication, the bill of rights becomes mere moral ideals. These moral ideals are better appreciated rather than practiced. Same is the case with the American Bill of Rights. The courts can take action unless a plea is made to it. But a written charter is also essential to empower the judiciary protect the citizen from the clutches of official hostility. This empowerment through bill of Rights manifested itself in the case of NSA surveillance controversy. U. S. President George W. Bush promulgated a secret executive order soon after 9/11 that capacitated the National Security Agency (NSA) with an authority to carry out wiretapping of suspected persons in America. The hallmark of this executive order was to conduct surveillance without acquiring approval or warrants from a FISA court (Risen. J & Lichtblau Eric. 2005). These order and activity were unlawful and unconstitutional as it violated the legal and constitutional privacy rights of the people provided under Fourth Amendment. Fourth Amendments states that â€Å"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. †(Hand, L. 1986) The executive order issued by the President Bush for warrantless surveillance is an explicit violation of the fourth amendment as it enables the security agencies to intrude the private lives of American people without providing any â€Å"probable cause† for this act. The illegality of the executive order was further reinforced by the court decision in ACLU vs. NSA case. The U. S. District Court Judge OF Eastern District of Michigen ruled that wiretapping without warrant from FISA is an unlawful and unconstitutional activity as it is the violation of individual privacy rights and freedom. The judge further ordered to eavesdrop on phone calls with immediate effect. In her ruling she wrote: â€Å"The President of the United States, a creature of the same Constitution which gave us these Amendments, has undisputedly violated the Fourth in failing to procure judicial orders as required by FISA, and accordingly has violated the First Amendment Rights of these Plaintiffs as well. † (ACLU v. NSA. 2006 p. 33) The duality of the adjudicative powers is clear from a previous ruling where in Draper case (Draper v. United States, 358 U. S. 307 (1959) 100) the Court advocate in favour of a warrantless search made to an arrest in a public place. The court ruling was based on the ground that law enforcement agency had â€Å"probable cause† to believe that a criminal activity has occurred although they worked on information from an informant formerly found reliable. This was obvious mockery of the civil rights of the individuals. Above mentioned examples illustrates that Bill of Rights is a proper and valid guarantee for the individual rights of American citizens. But lack of a proper reinforcement mechanism makes it dependent. The generality of the provisions of Bill of Rights is an important characteristic that enables the adjudicative agencies to interpret it according to situational context of a particular case. Although certain rulings by the Courts has harmed the true nature and objective of the Bills of Rights and had reduced it to mere cherished ideals but still it is an important tool to protects the rights of American people References ACLU vs. NSA. (2006) http://fl1. findlaw. com/news. findlaw. com/nytimes/docs/nsa/aclunsa81706opn. pdf Brant, I. 1965, The Bill of rights: its origin and meaning. A Mentor book, New American Library, New York. Brennan, William J. Jr. 1989, Why Have a Bill of Rights? Oxford Journal of Legal Studies, vol. 9, no. 4. pp. 425-440 Draper v. United States, 358 U. S. 307 (1959) 100 http://caselaw. lp. findlaw. com/cgibin/getcase. pl? friend=nytimes&navby=case&court=us&vol=358&invol=307 Dumbauld, E. 1979, The Bill of rights and what it means today. Greenwood Press, Westport. Fraenkel, O. K. 1963, The Supreme Court and civil liberties: how the Court has protected the Bill of rights. 2d ed. Published for the American Civil Liberties Union, Dobbs Ferry, N. Y.. Hand, L. 1986, The Bill of rights. College ed. The Oliver Wendell Holmes lectures 1958. Atheneum, New York, N. Y.. Strauss, David A. 1992, Afterword: The Role of a Bill of Rights The University of Chicago Law Review, vol. 59, no. 1, The Bill of Rights in the Welfare State: A Bicentennial Symposium, pp. 539-565. Risen. J & Lichtblau Eric. 2005, Bush Lets U. S. Spy on Callers without Courts, NewYork Time, December 16. http://www. nytimes. com/2005/12/16/politics/16program. html? ei=5090&en=e32072d786623ac1&ex=1292389200

Russia vs Brazil Communication Styles

Casual communication in Russia reflects a subdued formalism that is unique region. A business meeting with a stranger warrants the use of their patronymic name to address them. A patronymic name is the surname originated from a paternal ancestor such as a father or grandfather. All Russian surnames are rooted on the individuals’ father with the suffix â€Å"ovna† or â€Å"evna† for women, which translate to â€Å"the daughter of†. For men the suffix â€Å"ovich† similarly translates to â€Å"the son of† pattern seeing in the women.To add another layer of tradition, the Russian language has two version of the word â€Å"you†. In a formal setting Russians use â€Å"vy† to delineate courtesy and respect, but they also have the â€Å"ty† version to use with friends or family. In contrast, Brazil’s communication style is much more relaxed and informal. Brazilians often interrupt each other in conversations, a habit that is not considered rude by their standards. They also communicate in very close proximity and enjoy touching each other lightly. This practice is observed across gender roles.For example, Brazilian men touch other men as well as women during conversations. Women do not consider this behavior sexual harassment or inappropriate behavior. In fact, breaking away from this close proximity is considered an insult in Brazilian. High Context Society Russians and Brazil use the high context communication style. This style is to integrate oral and nonverbal messages to transmit their thoughts and feeling. Engaging a conversation with a high context communicator a person must be able to indentify the subtle nuance in body language to decipher what is really being expressed.In short, many things are left unsaid in Russia, which makes operating and marketing a business slightly challenging. For example, in the early 1990s a Russian beer company struck marketing gold when its commercial aired dur ing a Russian football game. The commercial depicted a football player with a dated haircut and a jersey with the words â€Å"I. Sussanin†. His supposed coach is seen attempting to motivate him by saying â€Å"You already played against the Polish, so just do the same with this team, lead them to the wrong direction†.In response, the player says nothing and turns away. This commercial resonated well with Russian consumers because the humour was implied. All Russians have a strong understanding of their history and understood that this was in reference to the war hero Ivan Sussanin who tricked the Polish into going the wrong direction in the War of 1613. Thus, it is imperative to have excellent listening and observational skills to be an effective communicator in Russia and Brazil. Negotiating The political and economic landscape of Russia is an influential element in its negotiation style.Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the protection of property rights still r emains relatively weak and businesses are often subject to state control that is riddled with nepotism and corruption. Thus, Russian negotiations focus on the short-term gains and benefits of a business deal. In fact, communication in business deals can easily escalate into a highly contentious and adversarial experience. Dramatic reactions like threats to call off a deal, loss of temper, and even leaving the boardroom, are quite typical in business negotiations.Russians subscribe to the idea that one parties’ gain should be equitable the other parties’ loss. Thus, compromising is seen as a weakness and there is strong expectation that there is only one winner in a business deal. – Leveraging relationships is an important element when negotiating in Brazil. Brazilians often employ distributive and contingency bargaining. While the buyer is in a superior position, both sides in a business deal own the responsibility to reach agreement. They expect long-term commi tments from their business partners and will focus mostly on long-term benefits.The primary negotiation style is competitive and Brazilians can be very aggressive negotiators. While proposals should demonstrate the benefits to both negotiating parties, neither of them should take attempts to win competitive advantages negatively. It is crucial to remain non-confrontational and avoid direct conflict throughout the bargaining exchange. Ultimately, the culture promotes a win-win approach and people value long-term business relationships. You will earn your counterparts’ respect by maintaining a positive, persistent attitude.Do not openly show aggression or frustration. Should a dispute arise at any stage of a negotiation, you might be able to reach resolution by leveraging personal relationships Conflict Management For a long time Russia was organized into agricultural communes. Agricultural communes were communities and public farms that provided all of the food resources to th e surrounding population. Food was distributed equally and Russians learned to cooperate and reduce waste whenever possible. Thus, Russian fondness for the group strongly influences their conflict management style.If there is an issue within an organization, it is important to address the group, not an individual, about the issue and find a collaborative solution to the problem. Russians believe that helping their team members accomplish a goal really does benefit them directly, Russian like to be successful together. They are more confident that they can work together and make decisions and strive to understand the opposing position by asking questions. Brazilian prefers to avoid dealing directly with conflict. When issues arise, they are dealt with privately, through a third party, or through passive resistance.Rather than state their opposition directly, Brazilians will problem solve their using the least amount of open dissension. Brazilian believes strongly in saving face, a co ncept that many direct communicators do not factor in when dealing with conflict. Saving face is simply dealing with an issue or concern in a manner that does not publicly embarrass Brazilians or cause them to lose respect in their own eyes or those of other individuals. Therefore, blame is not directly placed on anyone but is usually alluded to.

Volvo

The objectives of this paper are to investigate and identify the factors and rationales that move Toyota onto hybrid vehicle production. PESTLE analysis is used to analyze the collected secondary data. According to PESTLE analysis, there are several reasons that affect Toyota to produce hybrid car. Based on the PESTLE analysis, all the factors are reasonable to support Toyota move to hybrid vehicle production. Researchers have invented some alternative energy technology like the electric car.Despite to its disadvantages where the electric car was found that it was unable to carry out long distance driving and the problem regarding the frequent recharges issue. Thus, the hybrid electric car technology is actually combine he benefits of both conventional fuel powered car and electric car. But, there will involve large amount of money in order to invent and develop a new technology. So, what are the rationales that move automakers, such as Toyota to into hybrid vehicle production?Key wo rd-Toyota, hybrid car, PESTLE analysis 1. Introduction In the last couple of years, automotive industry was coming up with great innovations nowadays in order to fulfill the demand of the market [1]. The most recent innovation was mainly focus on the aspect of environmental and energy utilization issues. Therefore, hybrid car has been introduced. Hybrid car technology is type of technologies that made the vehicle utilize at least two different power sources in order to move the car.In general, the hybrid car type which available in the market is hybrid electric vehicles (Have) such as Toyota Pries Hybrid and Honda Civic Hybrid. A HAVE is using the combination of the internal combustion engine with electrical motors to make the vehicle move. Its dual engine characteristic will improve the fuel efficiency and even help in increasing the performance of the vehicle. However, the conventional cars run on a single fuel resource namely gasoline, petrol and diesel.Due to the rising issues r egarding the shortage of the natural resource in world-wide recently, the conventional cars are not longer to meet for the future demand. In fact, The research objective of this paper is to investigate the rationales that move Toyota into hybrid vehicle production and to identify its related factors by using PESTLE analysts. 2. Literature Review PESTLE analysis is a structure for planning, presenting, and report writing, it is also an analytical tool to consider external factors and help in the analysis of the impacts.Basically, PESTLE is mainly used to identify and summarize environmental influences on an organization to help it assess actual and future strategic contexts [2]. Besides that, it is also a useful tool for understanding the external macro environment in which involved. PESTLE helps organization adapt proactively to ever changing environment and allows forward thinking so that issues are anticipated in advance [3]. Moreover, PESTLE analysis can help to take advantages o f the opportunities and minimize the threats. PESTLE can help to avoid strategies that may be doomed to failure for reasons beyond control.A recent study which conducted by Serializations 1) regarding the use of strategic management lolls which included PESTLE among the group of tools that were most widely used by practitioners in the world of business. Although the authors comment that given its relatively high current use (47% of respondents usage or have used this tool) it is, at the same time, considered a statistical outlier in that 30% of respondents claiming unawareness [4]. 2. 1 political Factors may be altered by the government's influence on a country infrastructure.Factors include the current and potential influences from political pressures and hence, the stability of the industry environment and the cost of operating will be affected. Political factors often impose costs upon organization such as taxes. The governments are often trying to protect firms in their countrie s from foreign competition through tariffs and import restrictions, and to encourage their development through cheap loans and large government contracts. On global warming has resulted in global agreement on emissions of greenhouse gases.Another environmental effect of a project is on the community that surrounds it 3. Methodology 2. 2 Economic Factors include local, national and world economic impact. Rates of economic growth, unemployment and interest rates will affect the spending power of nonusers and businesses which bring the impact on the nature of competition in an industry. Other important economic factors relate to the supply of and demand for key inputs, such as oil, metals, minerals, and skilled labor. 2. 3 social Factors include the ways in which changes in society affect the project.The growing consumer assertiveness and intolerance of poor quality are the social factors. The increasing of average household income with corresponding reduction in the time available to spent it. The other social factor is cultural aspects, health and safety consciousness, population growth rate, age strutting. 2. 4 Technological Factors include how new and emerging technology affects our project / organization. The technological factors are including maturity of technology, competing technological developments, research funding, technology legislation, and new discoveries.The information technology, internet, global and local communications can be easily access by user nowadays. 2. 5 Legal Factors include how local, national and global legislation affects the project. All the organizations have adjusted their products and ways of operation to the different regulatory and legislative frameworks that an govern their product areas and countries in which they are active. 2. 6 Environmental Factors include local, national and global environmental issues. The general environment problem such as global warming and pollution are the environmental factor in PESTLE analysis .The concern Figure 1: Proposed Research Process in Flow Chart First of all, we need to define the research problem. This will help us to determine the objective of the research. Once the project was defined, the research will proceed to review the concept and theories of the study. In this stage, the research will undertake extensive literature review from published Journal, article, books, conference proceeding, and government reports because the validity of data collected are strong enough to make this research strong and firm.Besides that, in the secondary data collection, the data was collected from published work on website, newspaper, corporate profiles or official statistics. These data collected must ensure the validity before refer and take information from the website because some of the websites are invalid such as flogger and Wisped. Thus, it is wise to begin any research activity with a review of the secondary data [10]. After data was collected, the analysis was begun . In this study, the method of analysis used was PESTLE analysis. The results were then interpreted and written in report form. . Discussion and Analysis In this section, we will discuss each of the factors, PESTLE accordingly. 4. 1 Political Factor In the last few years, the process of searching for the alternative energy source is not only restricting to the economic and environment concern. However, it also 2 consider as a national security concern. At 2007, the ex-president of United State, Bush, stated that â€Å"Union was largely focused on the energy issue, and the session the U. S. Government faces is how to lessen our dependence on foreign petroleum from unstable region of the world. With gas prices at an all-time high at the price of $3. 07 a gallon, which will be surpassed in upcoming years, we see the need for change, yet it is hard to plan out how to be free from our dependence when 97% of all energy consumed by vehicles is petroleum based [11]. Vehicles. Specifically, the Air Resources Board mandated that at least 2 percent, 5 percent and 10 percent of new car sales be zero-emitting by 1998, 2001 and 2003 respectively [37]. Besides, current CAVE aerogram will reward automakers who have significant contribution in production of the vehicles that incorporate better performance.The credit system of the CAVE was formed to reward automaker and to provide automakers more flexibility to produce difference type of vehicle that fulfill the requirement of CAVE [38]. However, the present president of U. S. , President Obama stated that he wants to end the America's addiction to foreign oil and reduce the government's focus on how to obtain oil from foreign countries [12]. By driving hybrid vehicle, everyone can contribute on reducing the burden of government and reliance on foreign country. Another Act affect the political factor is Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFEГ?) standard that also executed in U.S.. Since 1975, the U. S. Government has execute d CAFEГ? policy in order to reduce the greenhouse gases emission and oil consumption, following the 1973. -1974 oil crisis. CAFEГ? did influence the decision of automotive firm by setting a minimum standard for the average fuel economy of a manufacturer's fleet of vehicles sold in U. S. [39]. Thus, in order to fulfill the standard of CAFEГ?, the automaker has change a particular vehicle model's characteristic to increase its fuel economy, such as reduce the power, design the engine or transmission and reduces the weigh [40].Thus, hybrid car is one of the technologies developed in order to fulfill the standard of CAFEГ?. On 26th January 2009, President Obama has started to reverse the climate policies of Bush administration and has set new rules to force all of the automakers in U. S. To produce more efficient and pollution free vehicle. This new rule will force manufacturers of car to make the switch over to hybrid vehicle production In addition, the U. S. Congress o n 3rd October 2008 enacted a law which offers up to $7,500 in tax incentives for passenger plug-in car. This will help most of the buyer to reduce the initial cost when purchase a hybrid vehicle.Moreover, there are large possibilities that those incentives will included conversion of gas vehicles to plug-in/hybrid vehicles, meaning that people able to convert his or her current vehicle into hybrid. There are some policy has been executed by government has grad interest of Toyota to move into hybrid production. Energy policy act of 1992 is an act that focuses on encouragement of divestment in conservation and energy efficiency by electric utilities [35]. The fuel uses as a means for the Energy policy program to helping U. S. O reduce its dependence on important petroleum.In addition, it also provide more flexible way for fleet operator who already are burdened with the responsibility of complying with the requirement of this act by rearrange the existing incentives and requirement pr ogram to directly award the use of alternative fuel [36]. Besides that, the Californians Zero Emission Vehicle (CAVE) program also is one of the policies that do help to move Toyota into hybrid vehicle production. CAVE embarked in a plan to reduce vehicle emissions to zero through the gradual introduction of zero emission The Energy Policy Act of 2005 was signed into law byPresident Bush on August, 2005[14]. In this act, there is a section for individual that purchase or lease hybrid vehicles or other alternative motor vehicle state that the tax credit for hybrid vehicles, which was enacted by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, may be as much as $3,400 for those who purchase the most fuel-efficient passenger vehicles and light trucks[1 5]. In order to improve and encourage the production of hybrid vehicle, there were some policies executed by the U. S. Government as the extension of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, such as Energy Independence and Security Act 2007, Energy and Improvement andExtension Act of 2008 and Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 4. 2 Economic Factor In our opinion, economic might be the main issue drive Toyota into hybrid vehicle production. In fact, a nation imports more products from foreign countries; it will lead to the more trade debt of nation. Therefore, the more Toyota Campy Hybrid was sold in the U. S. , the more trade debt was make by U. S. And directly affect the economics of U. S. Based on the price of the oil is keeps increasing in the global market situation, it takes money away from the disposable 3 income. This will lead to less retail spending and small business investment.This situation will bring greatly negative effect on the nation's gross domestic product. We conclude that because of the characteristic of high fuel efficiency of hybrid vehicle, the dependence of the country or even a family will be reduced, and thus more money is available in circulation of the economy. Besides that, automobile emissions contribute significa nt amounts of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, which will lead to global warming. Hybrids could help in the effort of increasing fuel efficiency and thus lowering emissions. The economic effect of a warming planet has two phases: mitigation costs and adaptation costs.Based on the Cambridge dictionary, adaptation means the process of changing to suit the different condition. The adaptation costs include those cost that let human survive during the arrival of disaster, such the relocation of coastal population, decreased agricultural production, water shortages and increased defense spending as global changes cause unrest and conflict. In addition, based on Oxford dictionary, mitigation means the action of reducing the severity, seriousness, or painfulness of something: the identification and mitigation of pollution.The mitigation cost includes those issues that related activities that tend to reverse or halt the problem and lead to the needed to invest in new clean energy technologi es development, the overall energy prices could be raised by a tax of carbon emission and lead to slower gross domestic product growth due to the increase of difficulties to obtain a clean energy resources where it requires a huge sum of money [19]. In our opinion, due to the benefit of hybrid vehicles, both mitigation cost and adaptation cost can be reduced and result in positive effect on economic of a nation.Hybrid vehicle believe to bring benefit to the nation trade. According to RCA, a Chicago-based economic insulting company, the oil rose to $120 per barrel, making oil responsible for 75% of the U. S. Trade deficit in 2008 [19]. This situation might lead to trade imbalance. Trade imbalance might occur if the dependence of a country have import excessive amount of oil, it was caused by domestic supplies have peaked. Thus, any products and any technologies (hybrid vehicle) that will help in reduce in oil import of a country will resolve the problem of trade imbalance.Based on th e subsidies for environmental purposes, Honda developed a fuel-cell prototype and will start centralization around 2002. However, Toyota also darted to build hydro-car that need only water and Toyota Pries which is a hybrid-based car with an electrical and conventional engine that both reduce energy needs to less than 5 liters per 100 kilometers is already a big success in Japan. According to the Budget of the United States of 2000, there is a section named â€Å"Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles†. This budget proposes $264 million, which is $24 more than in 1999, which is for investment in new generation vehicles.This cost is used for three research goal, which are to develop advanced manufacturing technique; to use new technologies for near-term emission improvements; and o develop production prototype vehicles three times more fuel-efficient than conventional cars [20]. According to the facts that mentioned above, hybrid vehicle is one of the solutions to solve all of these economic problems. So, this economic factor has attract Toyota to move into hybrid car production since it have great potential to solve economic problem that might facing by most of the country in future. . 3 Social factor In modern world, people who are attracted and interested in hybrid car progressively increase because it able to bring benefit in various aspects compare to non-hybrid car. The social factor has includes some issues like health and custom of nation. In our opinion, the main factor is air pollution. Formerly, the cars were run only by combustion engine and certain amount of unwanted gas (like nitrous oxides) was emitted from those cars and those emitted gases will cause serious air pollution.After a long period, the pollution will cause some health's problem, such as respiratory tract infection, skin disease, heart disease with high risk of complication, and others; at which the percentage of the problem will be increased progressively and may lead to fatal. This harass condition was settled by substituting hybrid car to the invitational car, because the combustion engine of hybrid car is less exposed to acceleration and burns fuel under more stable conditions, thus it emit less carbon dioxide (CO) than an engine of conventional flowered vehicle [21].Besides that, the noise emission from electric motor (noise pollution) also is a main disadvantage of conventional fuel-powered vehicle. Hybrid car is a vehicle that can bring the comfortable and relax feeling for the consumer during driving because the engine of the car able to operate with less noise emission, reduce the noise no matter at high speed or low speed. On the

Crime and punishment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Crime and punishment - Essay Example Christian’s study was ethnographic in nature. The study involved observation of families as they travel to various New York prisons to visit their loved ones. The study also involved observation of family members during family support group meetings for prisoners’ families and related activities for a period of 200 hours (Christian 35). In addition, the study involved open-ended interviews with prisoners’ family members. The interviews featured 19 family members with the samples comprising girlfriends, wives, one brother, and mothers (Christian 35). The study established that many prisoners are never visited by their family members for a variety of reasons. Some of the main reasons behind this trend include financial constraints, distance between home and prison, severed or strained relationships with the person incarcerated, and issues related to prison bureaucracy. As such, the study reveals that visiting a prisoner involves the expenditure of finance, time, energy, and other resources (Christian 44). The study established that the family members that visit their loved ones in prison do so for a variety of reason including: to provide moral support to the prisoner; to watch over the prison system against mistreating prisoners; to secure hope for a different future (parole), and to provide basic needs to the prisoners (Christian 40-44). The study further established that the relationships between prisoners and their family members are fluid and change over time. The research reveals that incarceration has unintended consequences on families as some people end up severing their relations with prisoners (Christian, 46). The relations are also affected due to the high demands associated with prison visits. Yet another factor that affects families’ visits relate to their relationship with the prisoner before incarceration and the prisoner’s efforts toward self rehabilitation. Christian’s study which

Immigration As A Source Of Conflict In France Essay

Immigration As A Source Of Conflict In France - Essay Example With a huge proportion of the immigrants being unemployed, there is a rise in labor riots in France. This can be attributed to the competition for jobs between the North African immigrants with the local French laborers. This is because they are willing to work at lower wages due to their lack of skills. This has sparked up racism and ethnic violence between the French Nationals and the North African immigrants. The immigrants feel they are not accepted as being French and are stigmatized to go back to their country, as they do not belong in France. They are not given jobs due to their immigrant nature and end up doing work beneath them. The lack of employment has also sparked up social evils and increased the crime rates in the country. The governments of the day are forced to deport some of the illegal immigrants to avoid extreme political movements due to high unemployment rates among the immigrants. There are two key things that are depicted about immigration as a source of confl ict in contemporary France. Immigrants come along with their cultural practices, religion, and this when they interact with local nationals, conflict can arise in the attempt of either group trying to dominate the other. This makes integration of the immigrants with the local communities difficult and can result in animosities between the two. Immigration adds competition for resources in the country and, therefore, the government should provide enough job and investment opportunities so as to avoid socio-economic conflict and labor woes.

Comparison of two nursing education systems Assignment

Comparison of two nursing education systems - Assignment Example China has developed three kinds of nursing education systems over time. These include certificate, associate, and baccalaureate. There are two levels of entry into the Chinese nursing education systems, and these are middle school and high school education. Certificate programs, operated by hospital-affiliated health schools, produce Husi which is the name given to nursing technicians who pass that certification. Husi is the most common types of nurses that are seen in the Chinese hospitals. The certificate program is of four years upon the completion of which the students take the State Nurse Registration Examination (RN). Passing students qualify to work in hospitals as Husi. The graduates of health schools enter the next level, the associate degree program, which produces Hushi, who are the nursing educators. It is a three year program delivered at the department of nursing at some technical college. The baccalaureate degree program is the highest level of nursing education (Zerwe kh & Garneau, 2013, p.142). It is a five year program that produces nurses who work at management positions in clinical nursing. The nursing system of China is not as well-developed as America, although it is huge in size, claim Stanhope and Lancaster (2013, p.81). On the other hand, USA implements four kinds of nursing education systems. These include certificate, associate, diploma, and baccalaureate. Unlike China, the American nursing education systems have only one entry level that is high school graduation. The certificate program produces Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) or Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs). These nurses work in hospitals under the supervision of registered nurses after passing a licensure examination. The certificate programs are of nine to twelve month duration, which is much unlike the Chinese certification program which is of four year duration. The associate degree program produces registered nurses of the lowest technical level at two

MKT DB2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

MKT DB2 - Essay Example This category is aligned with my interest since I am a very family oriented person that values intimacy, consensus, and stability over risk. The VALS analysis can help companies determine how consumers will react to different marketing and advertising campaigns. For instance achievers like prestige products. Auto companies that manufacture luxury cars such as BMW should target achievers as part of their marketing campaign. Achievers are also hard workers that are very attached to their work. Due to their rush lifestyle achievers are the type of people that like products and services that save them time. An example of a service that achievers will use more often than other types is the self-service window at fast food restaurants. In their work setting achievers seek recognition. The use of recognition at work serves as a basis to reward employees’ efforts (About, 2012). Overall the use of the VALS system can serve as a great tool for marketers to learn more about the desires of people which can be very beneficial in the product design process. About.com (2012). Employee Motivation, Morale, Recognition, Rewards, Retention. Retrieved August 27, 2012 from

Cultural experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Cultural experience - Essay Example The report also indicated that a majority of immigrants in the country hailed from countries such as the United Kingdom, China, and New Zealand. Today, Australia appears like a new country in another land, thanks to the diversity of the country. The Australia multicultural policy has promoted the country’s shared values and cultural traditions (Hugo 2005, p. 9). In addition, it allows people from other countries who chose to call Australia their home the right to share and practice their cultural traditions and languages free from discrimination or interference from the government. Almost one quarter of Australian population, (4 million people) speak other languages other than English (Griffiths 2010). The country also allows the freedom of religion. For instance, when one drives along the streets of Sidney, he or she is amazed to see mosques at different locations in the city. Al-Zahra Mosque is one among the many mosques in the country that a friend of mine once attended to learn of the Islamic mode of prayers. The Mosque is located in Australia’s capital Sydney and acts as a place of worship for the Muslim faithful (Jamal and Chandab 2005, p.6). The friend of mine reveals that the Mosque’s environment was so amazing that one could easily tell by far that the place is indeed a Muslim territory. This is evident right from the structure of the mosque, as he could easily see a tall tower, commonly referred to as the Minaret. The Minaret is standing tall on the building with loudspeakers attached to it. The loud speakers, he was told are used to announce to the muslin faithful of the beginning of the service. It was also through interaction with the congregants that he realized that, in Islam refer to God as Allah. He also asserted that he was so amazed to learn that Muslims do not believe in the existence of Jesus Christ and the Christians do. Instead, they believe in the existence of Prophet Muhammad. The friend also revealed that the envir onment looked peculiar from that of a church. As a result, other members of the congregation could easily single him out from the rest. This is because, whereas he was dressed in full black suite, which was quite different from the way the Muslim faithful were dressed. For instance, most men were dressed in white robes, while their female counterparts were mostly dressed in black robes, according to the friend of mine. He was also amazed by the fact that most women wore robes, which covered their faces making it difficult to different the women. He even kept wondering how these women were breathing in those robes. It was also interesting for him to learn that before entering the Mosque, every member of the congregation is required to remove the shoes since the mosque is considered a holy place. This look peculiar to him since he did not anticipate being subjected to removal of shoes. In addition, just outside the entrance of the mosque is a special place designated for leg, mouth, n eck, face, nose, and hand washing before anyone can be allowed to proceed to the service. The friend reveals that the inside wall of the Mosque is beautifully decorated with Islamic artifacts made of different symbols and Arabic writings. He also noted that, unlike Christians who pray in a single room, Islam does not allow such mixing. Instead, the Muslim men and women have different rooms for prayers. However, prayers are conducted by a single Imam who direct prayers from the men’s room using a loud speaker fixed in other rooms as well to enable women to follow the service and imitate what the imam says. The friend was also flabbergasted to learn that the building had very few chairs, as the entire Mosque is just a hall with a carpet laid on the floor. As such, congregants sit on the floor on carpets

The Englishman's Boy by Guy Vanderhaeghe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Englishman's Boy by Guy Vanderhaeghe - Essay Example The author has used the technique of interconnecting time lines and story narratives in adopting a post-modern approach to portray details of the Cypress Hills Massacre, which is characteristic of demonstrating the relationship between conflicting historical versions. This paper will focus on the power commanded by Rachel Gold, the main female character and on how other women in the novel are oppressed, which will be substantiated with reference to the histories of women’s roles in early Hollywood. Main Body The story is narrated by Harry Vincent whose dream woman is Rachel Gold. Rachel is a Jewish vampy screen writer who helps Harry Vincent get a job as a writer of film plots with Best Chance Pictures after he arrives in Hollywood from Saskatchewan. Rachel is depicted as a powerful lady of very strong character as she maneuvers her life through a male dominated environment. She s able to create a place for herself and is recognized for her ability to write screenplays in surroundings where people hated women. She is portrayed as being extremely beautiful and catches the eyes of several men in Hollywood. But she was outnumbered in terms of her sex as well as religion. Rachel managed to gain immense recognition and clout in Hollywood because of her pulpy screen plays, which made her a force to reckon with whereby no one could take her lightly. She is depicted as being very considerate towards Harry and his un-well mother. Because of Rachel’s strong influence over film makers, she develops her own style of portraying the presence of anti-Semitic feelings in Hollywood as more and more Jews start entering the film making business in terms of starting production houses and directing films. It is perhaps in this context that Rachel enjoyed saying that â€Å"The true test of any scenario is to read it to a cameraman. Cameramen are invariably Irish and invariably drunk. If they can grasp the plot, the moral, the theme of your simple tale through an alchoholic haze, you can be assured you have struck the proper intellectual level† (36). She had the veracity to challenge film producers with her screen writing and often got away even after declaring that men can be divided into two distinct classes; gigolos and cruel people (Staines, 1997). The most noteworthy features of the novel are the moral issues that are raised by intentionally creating suggestions relative to another massacre, the Holocaust (Vanderhaeghe, 1997). Just as the Holocaust was attributed to H itler, the author attributes the Cyprus Hills Massacre to Tom Hardwick who was leading the wolfers. Although the number of Assinboine killed in the massacre were only about 20, the author clearly lays emphasis on the white-indian conflict, including the sufferings that characterized the way in which the history of the region was shaped. The story assumes further importance in the context f the Holocaust because Rachel was also a Jew. In all the references to Hollywood, the author depicts a strong link with the Holocaust that has contributed to contemporary debates in regard to whether writers should be held responsible for the anti Semitic feelings created by their work (Janes, 2002). Menckenian rhetoric is used by Rachel because she believes in boorishness and accepts it with a great deal of distaste in the context of what was demanded by the public from Hollywood films. Rachel is able to accurately represent Mencken’s oratory and concepts relative to language that distingui shes her from characters such as Harry and Chance. She does not favor elements in Chance’s style such as his style of manipulating languages to

Mining Rare Earth Metals Essay Example for Free

Mining Rare Earth Metals Essay I believe that Canada should be involved in the rare earth metals mining industry. Rare earth metals are an essential part of everyday modern life (and of growing importance). They are used from everything from cell phones to environmentally friendly technologies such as wind turbines and hybrid engines. The mining of these metals would provide many benefits to Canada. It makes great economic sense because right now China is a supply and demand crisis so they are exporting less metal every year. If Canada were to enter the mining not only would it create thousands of jobs in one area where unemployment is a little bit of a problem but we could also pick up the slack of Chinas export problem and make billions. Besides the obvious economic implications, I believe that mining these metals cold have serious political and environmental benefits for us. China uses dangerous chemical to melt the earth around it, which could potentially leave a lasting impression on the surrounding area and any vegetation that might grow there in the future. So if Canada were to mine these metals I think we would be more respectful of the landscape. In today’s society reducing your environmental footprint is huge and in terms of rare earth metals there are many ways in which we can reduce our own. It starts by properly recycling our reusable electronics so the metals can be extracted or re used. Other ways would be to buy used electronics and not get every new gadget that comew out so there is less of a demand for the mining of rare earth metals. Given the pros of mining and the fact that they outweigh the cons, I believe that Canada should be involved in rare earth metals mining.

Competitive Advantages of Germany

Competitive Advantages of Germany Aerosil is a fumed silica product developed in 1942 by Degussa AG in Germany. The scientific name of fumed silica is Colloidial Silicon Dioxide. It is pure silicon dioxide, made from vaporized silicon tetrachloride, oxidized in high-temperature flame with H2 and O2. Aggregated amorphous nano-sized primary particle gives free flow to powder materials. It gives thickening effect and thixotropy by dispersing to liquid materials. Standard hydrophilic products are made of primary particles from 7 nm to 40 nm, and also these products are surface modified to hydrophobic. As of September, 2007 what was Degussa is now the chemicals business area of the new Evonik industries. Right from the start of the business activities for AEROSIL ® fumed silica, Evonik followed Degussas philosophy for success to combine tradition and progress. In 1942 an idea became reality. Degussa invented the fumed silica as a replacement for carbon-black, which was manufactured from oil, to counteract the shortage of resources. At that time, the trade name AEROSIL ® was invented and protected. Today AEROSIL ® is a synonym for fumed silica and Evonik is globally present with more than 100 sales offices in 95 countries and over 1000 highly motivated employees. They have eight production plants and applied technology laboratories in Germany, China, Japan, Thailand and the USA, enabling them to stay close to their customers. They are not only known for their extensive product line with it ´s wide variety of grades, but are also market leaders with their highly specialized quality and environmentally-conscious technologies. Without AEROSIL ® fumed silica many everyday things would no longer be conceivable. AEROSIL ® fumed silica is found, for example, in buildings with earthquake-proof foundations, in silicon sealants for bath tubs, in yacht production, as insulation material for Ceran ® stove tops, or in paints that without AEROSIL ® products would be difficult to use. They have over sixty years experience in this specialty field and are continually optimizing their product line and technical services with great flexibility according to the needs of their customers. Evoniks close contacts with the industries that use their products, as well as to their suppliers, allow them to develop new innovative products for existing applications, as well as new applications for established products. Due to the continuous expansion of Evoniks worldwide production capacities, they are able to supply their customers with the right products in the desired quality and quantity throughout the world. Close cooperation and partnership with the customers is one of Evoniks top priorities. gm Industry History The shortage of raw materials and resources on our planet has been a hotly debated topic for several decades. The black gold in particular inspired many to become active researchers. Degussa were also enthusiastic about the idea of one day finding a substitute for oil. This is why, in 1941, they began to develop a white filling material for the tire industry as a substitute for industrial carbon black, which, up to then, could only be produced from oil. Just twelve months on, having created high-temperature flame hydrolysis, they succeeded in producing the first ultrafine-particle pyrogenic silica. Their vision became reality and the brand known as AEROSIL ® was born. dr, harry This success story took its course, and in 1966, an important foothold was established in Asia with the building of the Nippon Aerosil production plant in Yokkaichi, Japan. In 1976, the same step was taken westwards when the production of AEROSIL ® began at the new Degussa plant in Mobile, Alabama/USA. More than 60 years of experience, development and research have by now made AEROSIL ® the most frequently used brand for the creation, modification and characterization of surface effects.Chemistry_by_Ekspertiza.jpg APPLICATIONS OF AEROSIL ® More than 60 years of experience in the production, modification and application of fumed silica provide a sound basis for continuously enhancing these products. Evonik strive to meet the increasing demands of existing and new areas of application. Their objective is to fully satisfy customers expectations now and in the future. AEROSIL ® Fumed Silica makes use of the smallest of things. The smallest particles of some AEROSIL ® grades measure no more than seven nanometers a human hair is 3,000 times thicker. So small, yet so great: The smaller the particles, the greater their effect and range of applications. AEROSIL ® optimizes some factors whish are given below : paints and coatings catalysts airbags silicone sealants in the car, sanitary and electronics sectors sealing inserts, e.g. for covering crown cork printing inks creams, lotions, gels deodorants paper properties chemical dowels unsaturated polyester resins light bulbs and fluorescent tubes toners for photocopying machines silicone profiles shoe soles putty dental composites 2-component mortar marine paints structure adhesives for the production of rotor blades in wind power plants the disability of active substances in tablets The advantages of AEROSIL ® Fumed Silica in different industries : Adhesives Sealants Batteries Food Glass Paints Coatings Personal Care Pharmaceuticals, Plastics ,Silicones , Toners Product Line AEROSIL ® is an extremely versatile product. In order to find the AEROSIL ® grade with the right characteristics for the application, they have grouped the various AEROSIL ® types by Raw Material Method of Production. Not only are these, but also the behavior with water, whether hydrophilic or hydrophobic, crucial for the final application. AEROSIL ® grade could be found to solve problem in one of the following categories: Hydrophilic Fumed Silica Hydrophobic Fumed Silica Fumed Mixed Oxides Hydrophilic Fumed Metal Oxides Special Hydrophobic Silicas and Hydrophobic Metal Oxides Special Granulated Fumed Silicas Dispersions competitive-analysis_clip_image010.jpg Competitive Strategy To decide the competitive strategy there are two deciding factors. These are: industry structure and positioning within industry. Industry Structure Porters 5 forces analysis Porters 5 forces analysis is an analysis skeleton for industry analysis and business strategy development which was founded by by Michael E. Porter of Harvard Business School in 1979 . It uses concepts developed in Industrial Organization (IO) economics to derive 5 forces that determine the competitive intensity and therefore attractiveness of a market. Attractiveness in this context refers to the overall industry profitability. untitled Figure 01: Porters five forces analysis Porters Five Forces include three forces from horizontal competition: threat of substitute products, the threat of established rivals, and the threat of new entrants; and two forces from vertical competition: the bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of customers The threat of substitute products The existence of close substitute products increases the propensity of customers to switch to alternatives in response to price increases. But there are no substitutes for fumed silica. Thats why there is no threat of substitute products. The threat of the entry of new competitors As the business of fumed silica is very lucrative; thus, results in many new entrants, which will effectively decrease profitability. But there are some barriers to enter this industry and those are given below : The existence of barriers to entry In 1942, Degussa invented the fumed silica as a replacement for carbon-black, that was manufactured from oil, to counteract the shortage of resources. At that time, the trade name AEROSIL ® was invented and protected. Today AEROSIL ® is a synonym for fumed silica. Economies of product differences With a sales volume of nearly 1.8 million metric tons a year (2004), sales revenues of approximately à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 1,071 million (2005) and a staff of 530, Evonik is the largest chemical manufacturer at the Marl Chemical plant. Capital requirements: Due to heavy investment in setting up the plant and thw production process, a very few wants to enter to this industry. The intensity of competitive rivalry- For most industries, this is the major determinant of the competitiveness of the industry. Number of competitors: There are only two substitute product for fumed silica and those are: Cab-o-sil and HDK, these rivals compete in non-price dimensions such as innovation, marketing, etc. Exit barriers: As the initial investment is high and the cost of swithiching to other manufacturing product is also very high, so the exit barrier is also high. Competitors are here to stay. Positioning Within Industry AEROSIL ® grades of Evonik have gained competitive advantages because of its cost leadership and the quality it offers. To compete internationally Evonik has adopted the global strategy approach driven by the principle think global, act local. Fumed silica grades are sold internationally under one brand, AEROSIL ® and one target audience, that is the business consumers. 683px-Schematicy-atom.svg.png Porters Diamond Model Germany possesses comparative advantage in producing AEROSIL ® fumed silica. Germany has the ability to produce the AEROSIL ® fumed silica at a lower opportunity cost. The comparative advantage of Germany in the production of fumed silica is described by the Maichael Porters Diamond Model as followed: Untitled-1_clip_image002 Figure 02 : Porters Diamond model Factor Conditions- refers to inputs used as factors of production such as labor, land, natural resources, capital and infrastructure. Porter argues that the key factors of production are created, not inherited. Specialized factors of production are skilled labor, capital and infrastructure. Human Resources With over 82 million inhabitants, Germany is the most populous country in the European Union Germany has the best qualified workforce in Europe. Above all, the German chemical industry has traditionally regarded the training and continuous upgrading of employees ´ qualifications as being very important. This is because a well trained workforce is the precondition for the operation of highly specialized high-tech facilities, production of innovative chemical products, and high productivity. Well trained employees also mean fewer accidents with minimal downtimes as one result. The chemical parks often have training centers on-site to ensure that employees theoretical and practical knowledge is kept up to date. Many chemical parks help companies located there to recruit qualified employees. A well qualified workforce and ongoing training are important factors. Another factor which contributes to the success of chemical companies based in Germany is the high degree of identification of employees with their company. Highly motivated, they remain faithful to their companies, and staff turnover is low. The advantage: employees gather valuable expertise and experience, which in turn ensures smooth operations and contributes to economic success. Employees high degree of identification with their companies also involves the stable and consensus-oriented partnership which characterizes the relationship between chemical companies and trade unions in Germany. The result speaks for itself: Germany is the country with the lowest number of strikes in Europe. But the mai n problem from Germanys point of view is that the cost of labor and raw materials are very high. And that is the reason why German industries mainly shifted their manufacturing plants to the countries where labor is cheaper. They have a market all over the world. The people who are engaged, either directly or indirectly in this industry account for approximately 27 percent of the total work force and produce more than 14 percent of Germanys total manufacturing output. Physical Resources The main raw material for fumed silica Most of the countrys products are in engineering, especially in automobiles, machinery, metals, and chemical goods. Germany is the leading producer of wind turbines and solar power technology in the world. Knowledge resources It is very important for a country to have a RD sectors and specialized institution so that they can provide more specialized knowledge for them. Germany has very good and sophisticated research centers that are essential to do extensive research to innovate new product. And that is the reason why they are famous world wide. Infrastructure- With its central position in Europe, Germany is an important transportation hub. This is reflected in its dense and modern transportation networks. Probably most famous is the extensive motorway (Autobahn) network that ranks worldwide third largest in its total length and features a lack of blanket speed limits on the majority of routes. Shipyard_at_dawn_by_le_feu.jpg Demand Conditions Porter argues that a sophisticated domestic market is an important element to producing competitiveness. Firms that face a sophisticated domestic market are likely to sell superior products because the market demands high quality and a close proximity to such consumers enables the firm to better understand the needs and desires of the customers. The issues that affect demand conditions: Sophisticated and demanding buyers The home market of the Germanys chemical product demand very high quality product. High Product Quality is the essential prerequisite for their business success. One guarantee is the global quality management system for AEROSIL ® products, which monitors and supports production. The Product Safety department maintains product registration and the supporting MSDS, safety-specific and toxicological data to ensure the safe and legal use of our products. Anticipatory buyers need German Chemical industries saw that their demand in the home market is enormous. They saw the scope for more demands in the other markets of the world. German chemical industry itself is in their different manufacturing units around the world. They are expanding their demand for chemical in the whole world. Related Supporting Industry Porter also argues that a set of strong related and supporting industries is important to the competitiveness of firms. This includes suppliers and related industries. German Chemical industry also needs to have close relationship, joint innovation with suppliers, complementary products, sharing same technology with their related and supported industries to sustain its competitive advantage. Close Relationshipasdf.jpg Evonik is an active partner of the most important transaction platforms in the chemical industry. In close cooperation with ELEMICA they have built up connections to their customers on the base of the ChemXML standards. ELEMICA is the platform for the raw material providers to the chemical industry and CC-Chemplorer, the purchasing platform for engineering goods and consumption material. VMI Vendor System VMI is a further step to improve customer convenience. Mostly with silos and tanks the supplier takes care that a customer never lacks raw material. Advanced sensor technology is capable to communicate directly with the ERP-system of the supplier. Together with their IT-partners they are prepared to design and implement the appropriate connection. Firms Strategy, Structure Rivalry In Porters study, it is found that the dynamism and pressure created by a vibrant local industry was perhaps the single most important stimulus to innovation and upgrading in an industry-a result that held independent of country size. Domestic rivalry provides an essential motivation for firms to make the investments and take the risks necessary to generate competitive advantage. Domestic rivalry is more important than competition with foreign firms because proximity speeds information and improves incentives to compete. Domestic competition negates basic factor advantages and forces firms to develop higher order (more sophisticated) and ultimately more sustainable advantages. In the chemical industry of Germany there exists an environment featuring a strong supply chain management, sophisticated demand from the domestic users, and an intensely competitive neighborhood with companies like BASF, Industries, Wacker Chemie. Sources of Creating Competitive Advantagesertyre.jpg It has gained competitive advantages due to several reasons and those are discussed below: New Technology Degussa invented the fumed silica in a substitute of carbon black. So AEROSIL ® has the competitive advantages as the inventor of fumed silica. Shifting Buyer Needs from Carbon Black to Fumed Silica As a replacement of carbon black, fumed silica has been used by the industries. The buyer needs had been shifted to the fumed silica from carbon black. Input Cost or Availability The raw materials needed for producing fumed silica is locally produced. Evonik is an active partner of the most important transaction platforms in the chemical industry. In close cooperation with ELEMICA they have built up connections to their customers on the base of the ChemXML standards. ELEMICA is the platform for the raw material providers to the chemical industry and CC-Chemplorer, the purchasing platform for engineering goods and consumption material. Strength_Is_Weakness_by_crazeemunkee0105.jpg SWOT Analysis A scan of the internal and external environment is an important part of the strtegic planning process. Environmental factors internal to the firm usually can be classified as strngths(S) or weakness(W), and those external to the firm can be classified as oppertunities (O), or threats(T). Such analysis of the strategic environment is refered to as a SWOT analysis. The strengths , weaknesses, opportunity and threats for AEROSIL ®: Strengths Evoniks strengths in producing AEROSIL ® fumed silica are its resources and capabilities that can be used as a basis for developing the competitive advantage. The strengths include: Patent Strong Brand Name- AEROSIL ® Good reputation among customers Exclusive access to the natural resources Extensive distribution channel Weakness The absence of certain strengths results in weaknesses for Evonik. As it enjoys an advantage of huge production capacity and a large manufacturing plant, but it may result into weakness as it employs a large pull of capital. It also prevents the firm from reacting quickly to the changes in strategic planning. Opportunity The external environmental analysis may reveal certain new opportunity for profit and growth. The opportunity for Evoniks AEROSIL ® fumed silica includes: Arrival of new technology from the continuous research Removal of international trade barriers Economic integrations Threats Changes in the external factors may result into threats for the firm and those are: Entry of new competitor Innovation of new substitute product werwer.jpg Pest Analysis PEST analysis stands for Political, Economic, Social, and Technological analysis and describes a framework of macro environmental factors used in the environmental scanning component of strategic management. It is a part of the external analysis when conducting a strategic analysis or doing market research and gives a certain overview of the different macro environmental factors that the company has to take into consideration. It is a useful strategic tool for understanding market growth or decline, business position, potential and direction for operations. The growing importance of environmental or ecological factors in the first decade of the 21st century have given rise to green business and encouraged widespread use of an updated version of the PEST framework. Political Analysis Political situation is a very significant external factor for the development of an industry. It is only through proper policies of the government added with incentives, subsidies and promotions that an industry can flourish. In Germany, government has taken several initiatives to promote the chemical industry. German chemical industry is doing very well in a global arena because they are getting support from their favorable government policies and terms conditions for increasing their productivity and constant innovativeness. Following reasons influence in this regard: Political stability Legal framework for contract enforcement Intellectual property protection Trade regulations tariffs Favored trading partners Pricing regulations Taxation tax rates and incentives Wage legislation minimum wage and overtime Economic Analysis The economic analysis is often used as a generic orientation tool, finding out where an organization or product is in the context of what is happening outside that will at some point effect what is happening inside an organization. The home economy situation is very vital to the growth of the industry. Economic factors affect the purchasing power of potential customers and the firms cost of capital. Germany is the largest national economy in Europe and the third largest by nominal GDP ($3.22 trillion) in the world and also ranked fifth by GDP. This is a very stable and favorable economic condition for a country to be internationally competitive. Following reasons influence in this regard: Government intervention in the free market Comparative advantages of host country Exchange rates stability of host country currency Efficiency of financial markets Infrastructure quality Skill level of workforce Economic growth rate Unemployment rate Inflation rate Interest rates Social Analysis The social analysis is used as a generic orientation tool, finding out where an organization or product is in the context of what is happening outside that will at some point effect what is happening inside an organization. The analysis headings are a framework for reviewing a situation, and can also be used to review a strategy or position, direction of a company. German Chemical industry always looks at the social factors to manufacture products. These factors affect customer needs and the size of potential markets. Some social factors include: health consciousness population growth rate age distribution career attitudes emphasis on safety Demographics Class structure Education Culture Attitudes Leisure interests Technology Analysis The technological analysis is often used within a strategic SWOT analysis. The technology analysis is often used as a generic orientation tool, finding out where an organization or product is in the context of what is happening outside that will at some point effect what is happening inside an organization. Technological factors can lower barriers to entry, reduce minimum efficient production levels, and influence outsourcing decisions German Chemical industry is doing well because their country has resources of high technology. Some technological factors include: Research Development (RD) activity automation technology incentives rate of technological change Recent technological developments Technologys impact on product offering Impact on cost structure Sustaining Competitive Advantagesustain.jpg As Evonik has created competitive advantages in producing AEROSIL ® fumed silica, it has quite a few factors to sustain competitive advantage. Nature of Sources of Competitive Advantage- Higher Order Advantage The advantages that Evonik possess for AEROSIL ® fumed silica is hard to replicate by the competitors. As Evonik possesses the exclusive right to produce AEROSIL ® fumed silica, no other can produce the exact fumed silica grades that we produce. Number of Distinct Sources of Advantages Extensive World Dealer Network Only AEROSIL ® products are offered from eight production sites distributed around the globe, supported by applied technology, research, commercial and technical service offices on three continents. This has established us as a committed service provider and competent advisor. AEROSIL ® production plants, technical service centers, research centers and commercial and technical service offices are located in Europe, North America and Asia with more than 100 sales offices in 95 countries to serve customworldwidehttp://www.aerosil.com/pub/NR/rdonlyres/2C62F50C-39FB-47B9-9F1F-82C9FAB46A6C/0/aerosilLocations.gif Brand Name AEROSIL ® has become the synonym for fumed silica. So, Evonik enjoys the strength from the brand name itself. Technical Service While typical inquiries can be answered by the local sales staff and distributors, a highly qualified technical consultancy service is also available to their customers. To this end, they support their customers by maintaining a network of experienced applied technology experts specialized in key industries on three continents. Constant Improvement Upgrading Research is the future. Or more precisely: Investment in the future. The work of scientists today forms the basis for the business successes of tomorrow. This principle is nothing new for AEROSIL ® products. It has been an established tradition for more than 60 years now. The outstanding research and development departments have made them one of the most frequently sought after contacts worldwide for the generation, modification and characterization of pyrogenic oxides, as well as for the performance effects they bring. 1941 Development of high-temperature hydrolysis for the production of pyrogenic silica 1942 Development of the first industrial production process in Rheinfelden, awarding of the first patent 1943 AEROSIL ® is registered as a trademark for Degussas pyrogenic silica 1953 Production of aluminum oxides using the AEROSIL ® method 1954 Production of pyrogenic titanium oxides 1963 Commercial production of the first hydrophobic types, AEROSIL ® R 972 and AEROSIL ® R 974 1986 Development of a further chemical after treatment technology; hydrophobizing method completed. AEROSIL ® R 805, R 812 and R 202 launched 1992 Launch of the first structure-modified hydrophobic product AEROSIL ® R 8200 First fully-integrated production location for AEROSIL ® in Waterford, USA. 32423.jpg Recommendation Evonik should not necessarily pursue the more lucrative opportunities; rather it may have a better chance of developing competitive advantages by identify a fit between strengths and upcoming opportunities. In order to overcome the threats from the external environment, it should get prepared itself to pursue a compelling opportunity. 2. Format and Style The format and style of the final report is similar to that required of a technical paper with the following requirement: Cover page Microsoft Office Word A4 page setup 1.5 line spacing Point 12 Times New Roman font 1 inch page margin